“Winning this award makes me feel accomplished in the two years at this college,” Del Valle said. “It’s cool to leave with a national award.”

With the advisers’ constructive criticism and her enthusiasm for learning, her work improved and she became a better journalism student, she said.

She believes she was considered a finalist because the motion and light technique draws attention into the photo, Del Valle said.

She took the photo in the program’s photography studio in Loftin Student Center with the help of Tricia Buchhorn, lab tech and photo adviser, and journalism sophomore Brianna Rodrigue, photo editor.

Del Valle said she recommends the journalism-photography program because the advisers encourage students to continuously do better.

As students’ work becomes better throughout the semester, the process also allows students to build a network of people, a portfolio and references, she said.

No one from the Ranger staff attended the convention to accept the awards.

Entries were judged by professional journalists or other professionals with involvement in the category.

“The Associated Collegiate Press has a mission to educate and recognize the work of student journalist, to improve the quality of student media and to foster careers in media,” according to studentpress.org.